The New Kid
by YouCan'tControlMe
Summary: So Beck Oliver just joined. And Jade hates him. Sorta. A oneshot, bade story about how they met.


**A/N: Yeah, so this happened in the middle on English when I was supposed to be writing a piece in the style of Bill Bryson. For my coursework. I don't know what happened. Anyway, I figured after Holding Hands With His Memory (hey, you! Yeah, you. the one reading this right now. Yeah, want to go check out that new oneshot? Yeah you do) I should probably write something a little less... Depressing. So this happened. I get that some people might not like it, but I though this is how it would start. Anyway, onwards. **

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**Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognisable. **

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><p>She didn't think she could hate him any more.<p>

I mean, he joins the damn school in the middle of the semester, and just expects to fit in and have his own little possey?

He does, but that's beside the point.

The new kid doesn't do that. He can't just waltz in and woo everyone with his STUPID hair and his plaid shirts and ridiculously well-fitting jeans. No. The new kid just doesn't do that, dammit.

And the new kid most _certainly_ does not come and sit at Jade West's lunch table.

And then proceed to talk to her.

That is not how this school works.

She made it very clear to anybody with at least one working eye (or ear - her voice carried over everything) that she did not want to talk to anybody, she did not need a lunch buddy *gag*, and she did not need anybody, period.

Because needing people was for weenies. Like that kid, Robert or something, who carried around his dumb doll and wore turtlenecks.

And, for the most part, people got the idea. They were able to realise the goth girl in the corner of the Asphalt Cafe wanted to be left alone. The black clothing was kind of a Valley girl repellant, anyway.

All except one kid.

This one damn kid that didn't seem to get it. Was he stupid? He must be stupid. He just plonked his ass down on the seat next to her, narrowly missing her bag, while the rest of the school (and she meant the whole school) watched. Ready for her to throw a tantrum or kill him or something. They were expecting that.

Well, she wasn't predictable. And she wasn't going to give them the satisfaction (even though she REALLY wanted to cram his ass in a garbage can).

"Hey! Jade, right?" He said, all perky as he opened his food. Pasta salad. Okay. It could be worse.

"You know my name, new kid. Want to leave now?" She suggested. With an eye roll.

"Nah." He brought out a fork.

"'Nah'?" She turned to look at him, catching him mid mouthful as he shrugged.

He swallowed. "Yeah. Nah. I don't want to leave."

"Okay, new kid, I-"

"Beck. My name's Beck." He nodded and shoved in another mouthful. She gave him points for holding a hand over his mouth while he spoke. She still hated him though.

"Yeah yeah, new kid. So listen, I appreciate you're new here, and you feel like you have to be everybody's friend, because maybe you're just that keen, but you don't have to do that with me. Actually, I'd rather you didn't. You can just use one of the pink ladies over there as a replacement. I promise, I won't mind." She smiled falsely, and went to bite into her burrito when he burst out laughing.

"Pink ladies? Oh, that's great. So, which one's Marty? Oh, and Frenchy?" She even found herself smiling at that. "And they can be the T-Birds!" He exclaimed, pointing at a bunch of jocks on another table. How they still managed to have jocks at a performing arts school would always baffle her, but whatever.

"I suppose. See that kid?" She said, pointing to Ryder Daniels.

"Yeah?"

"He played Danny, and he's never lived it down." Beck chuckled again.

"Who played Sandy?"

"Oh, my friend, Cat."

"What were you?"

"What makes you think I was in it?"

"I've seen you act in - is it Sikowitz? - in Sikowitz's class, and I heard you sing in one of the practice rooms earlier. The school would have to be stupid to not have you in it." He said, shrugging and turning back to his salad.

Don't blush, don't blush, damn pale-ness, don't blush, don- and, you're blushing. Great.

"Whatever. I might have been Rizzo. Might have." She hid her smile behind her water bottle.

"Pretty impressive, West." He grinned cheekily.

"So you haven't told me what you do, new kid."

"Acting, a bit of singling, a bit of guitar. I like scriptwriting. I dabble in directing. What about you?"

"Acting, singing, writing - music and scripts - directing, piano... I think that's it. Wait, dancing. Yeah."

"You dance? I love dancing!" Beck exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"You do? Didn't see that coming, pretty boy."

"So, you think I'm pretty?" He tried.

"Calm down, new kid." She said, and flicked him in the head, dislodging a piece of hair.

"Hey, watch the hair. It's the only reason I got in this school." He joked. "Anyway, salsa is my favourite."

"Really? No way. I'm doing that after school next term. I think there are a few spaces - you could join up. If you want. Whatever."

"Great! So-" the bell rang, interrupting him. "Oh, what lesson have you got?"

"We've got Sikowitz together."

"Oh, okay." They stood, and in a charming act of chivalry Beck cleared her tray for her."

"Thanks, new kid."

"So, um, can I- I was wondering if I could maybe walk you to lessons?" He tried, rocking from one foot to another nervously. She rolled her eyes, and grabbed his arm.

"Come on, doofus. We'll be late."

Well, he thought. That could've gone a lot worse.

He thinks he just made Jade West his friend.

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><p>"Jade, hey, Jade?" Some kid, Alex or Axe or something, nudged her and whispered her name.<p>

She groaned inwardly. And outwardly.

"What? I'm still not going out with you, if that's what it is."

"No! I heard you sucked Beck off in the janitor's closet the other day after lunch! Is it true?" He said.

"Oh my God, no." Three days ago, she had eaten lunch with him. Three whole days ago. She hadn't done it since. And now it had turned into 'her getting to third with him in the janitors' or 'her getting off with him after school' rumours. Argh. She hated them. "I don't even like him like that. I barely even tolerate him." She said, then gave him a glare that shut him up. A few more kids walked in (including Beck, during which she heard her name being whispered quite a lot.

Her phone buzzed about half way through the lesson, and since Sikowitz was the last teacher that would notice if it was on silence, she opened the text from the unknown number.

From: Unknown.

Hey, it's Beck.

From: Jade

How the fuck did you get my number, stalker?

From: New Kid

Oh, Cat's in a couple of my classes so I got your number from her. She seems really nice.

From: Jade

I swear, if you ever hurt her, I will chop your balls off.

From: New Kid

I don't like her that way! She's a good FRIEND. Jeez. Anyway, what up with the rumours about us?

From: Jade

Yeah, people like to bitch about me a LOT. And you're new meat. And you were hanging out with me, instead of the pink ladies. So...

From: New Kid

Hey, can I remind you that you were actually part of the pink ladies once? :P

From: Jade

Whatever. Now shut up and listen to the hobo at the front.

She shot him a genuine smile across the room, which he reciprocated, and slid her phone into her bag. He could be a lot worse.

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><p>The rumours really started flying when they got paired for a project in a scriptwriting class. He picked her up at the end of the day, opening the truck door for her and all, in the middle of the parking lot, in front of all the students.<p>

"You know you didn't have to open the damn door, I am capable."

"I know you are." He said, and left it at that.

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><p>Eating lunch together was now kind of like a thing. Every lunch, without fail, they would sit and chat or sometimes just listen to music or sit quietly.<p>

She wouldn't dare tell anyone, but it was her favourite part of the day.

"So I was thinking I could take you out to dinner on Saturday."

"Dude, you know I have that thing with my fath-"

"That you don't want to go to. So just say it's a school thing or whatever."

"And what if I don't want to?"

"You do."

"Cocky bastard."

"Yeah, but I'm right, aren't I?" He said, flashing a smile as he produced a cup of coffee from seemingly nowhere. "Aaaaand I got you this. So you have to say yes."

"Whatever. Just give me the coffee." She said, reaching for it then grumbling when he pulled it out of her reach. "Oliver..." She warned.

"Uh-uh. Not unless you say yes."

"I don't want to."

"Say it."

"No."

"It's not hard."

"Fine! Yes. Now, coffee." He beamed and handed over the coffee.

"Sweet. I have to go. Can I pick you up around seven thirty?" He asked.

"Sure, seven thirty's great, but where are you goi- and he's gone." He dashed off, grinning like a loon. "Kid's crazy."

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><p>He knocked on the door at exactly seven thirty, even though she knew he had pulled up in front of her house and tried to hide his car behind some bushes at seven.<p>

She grabbed her leather jacket and tried to avoid that creaky floorboard just outside her father's study but-

"Jade? Is that the boy?"

She sighed.

"Yeah, it's him. I'm going now. Bye."

"I still don't know what I'm going to tell my colleagues! Do you know how bad this makes me look? The fact that the future owner of the company isn't even going to be at the business dinner?" He yelled from his desk.

"Okay, that's a shame, I'm never working for you, bye." She called as she ran down the stairs and pulled her heels on at the bottom, ignoring her fathers response as she opened the door to find Beck smiling a little nervously at her.

"Should I bother with your fath-"

"No you should not. Now let's go, I'm starving." She said, slamming the door behind her and grabbing onto his arm, not even complaining when he opened the truck door for her. He was pretty sure it was gonna be a good night.

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><p>So you know that awkward first date feeling? When you're too scared to be yourself and order what you want, and the conversation is really shit and you have to fake laugh at everying? Yeah?<p>

Imagine the opposite.

That was what it was like.

It was perfect. She didn't know if it was a date or just a friendly dinner but she was sure her hands wouldn't be this clammy (not sweaty, clammy) if it was just a friendly dinner, but she honestly couldn't care less because it was so carefree and they were laughing and enjoying the food and it was just perfect.

They had just finished their dessert (he ordered a brownie and she ordered raspberry ice cream and they split it) and paid, when he took her by surprise.

"Jacket on, we're going to the beach."

"I'm sorry, we're going where?" She said, kind of really confused.

"The beach. I figured your dad would be at the meeting a lot later than your curfew, so we could stay out a bit later than eleven."

"Nice. And what if he is back by then?"

"Well, then... We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." He smiled, and practically dragged her out the door and into his truck.

They drove in a companionable silence to the beach and got out, and with a flourish he got out, opened the boot and set up a blanket and pillows.

"Look comfy?"

"Well, shall we test it?" She said, and climbed in and patted the area next to her. He got in, and they arranged themselves so that they weren't really sitting anymore, more lying on/tangled with each other. It was perfect. They lay there for a while

Content.

"We've known each other for a while now."

"And?" She murmured sleepily.

"We know each other really well."

"True."

"Well, I think I love you."

"Oh. I think I might love you too."

They fell back into silence.

"I'm probably not a great person to love, you know. You've only seen the nice side of me cause I like you."

"Whatever. Hey, apparently I don't show enough emotion."

"Whatever."

And that was that.

"Oliver?"

"Yeah, West?"

"Kiss me." And he did. And it was the most amazing thing she had ever experienced.

Jade West didn't believe in love at first sight. She kind of believed in hate at first sight - as in, she hated you, and if you didn't piss her off then she might like you. And that's kind of what happened. But to a kind of extreme.

But it was the first time it happened, and she was damn well sure it would be the last time too.


End file.
